Safety-catch for pins.



E. MOREHOUSE.

SAFETY CATCH FOR PINS.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 8, 1910.

96 1 9 Patented Mar. 7, 1911.-

WITNESSES. M/VE/WDR UNTTE EUGENE MOREHOUSE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIG-NOB TO B. A. BALLOU AND COMPANY, INC, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

SAFETY-CATCH FOR PINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

eseaoc.

Patented li'liar. "Z, 191i.

Application filed August 8, 1910. Serial No. 576,184.

F0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE MoRnHoUsn, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Catches for Pins, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawmg.

This invention has reference to improvements in a safety catch for pins, its object being to provide a pivoted gate member for closing the catch and preventing the point of the pin stem from being inadvertently re moved therefrom.

A further object is to provide a lock for retaining the gate member in its closed position. And a still further object is to form the gate member with integral lateral pivot lugs, so'that the eyes formed in the hook arms may be closed over said lugs as said arms are bent up from either side into their permanent position.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will. be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1- is a side elevation of my improved safety catch retaining the point of an ordr nary pin stem, the opposite end of which is secured to the pin body by a joint in the usual way. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side ele vation of my improved safety catch partly in section showing the gate member mount-- ed therein and in its closing position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the hook portion of the catch with the gate member removed. Fig. 4- is a detail of the gate member in perspective. Fig. 5 shows the double hook portion as struck out of sheet stock. Fig. 6 illustrates the two hook portions as being bent up and in the act of closing the eyes therein over tie pivot lugs in the gate member.

Referring to the drawings,, 1 is the pin stem of any desired construction which may be pivotally mounted in the usual joint 2 on the pin body 3.

My improved safety catch member 4: may be attached at the opposite end of the pin body to receive the point of the pin stem, said catch member being constructed of a pair of hook-shaped arms 5 joined together by a bridge or base member 16. At the base of each arm is formed an ear 7 pierced at 8 for the reception of the pivot lugs on the gate member hereinafter described, between which ears and the ends of said hook arms an entering mouth 6 is formed into which the point of the pin stem may be passed when it is desired to retain the same in its closed position. A protrubance 9 is formed on the inner wall of each arm and other protuberances l010 are formed on the outer periphery of the hook-shaped arms both of which sets of protuberances are for the purpose of frictionally engaging the operating end of the gate member to retain the same in its locked position. This catch member is preferably blanked out of sheet stock substantially in the form as illustrated in Fig. 5, the arms being bent up from either side leaving a space between them in which said gate member may swing. This gate member 11 is also preferably formed of sheet stock, the closing end 12 being bent up into somewhat the form of a hook. Pivot lugs 13 are preferably formed integral with said member and extend laterally from either side thereof. The upwardly extending arm or end of this member 1.1 is preferably provided with two opposite lugs forming a T-shaped head 14 the arm itself being formed on somewhat of a curve for the purpose of providing more or less resiliency or spring as the lugs of the T-head en a e and Jass over the orotuberances 10-1O on the edge of the hook arms in bringing the gate member to its closed position.

A feature of my improved construction is that the hook arms on either side may be bent up as illustrated in Fig. (5 so that the eyes 8-8 formed therein may close over the pivot lugs 18 formed integral with the gate member thus providing a simple, practical and inexpensive construction which obviates the necessity of forcing in and retaining a separate pivot pin on which the gate member may swing.

In moving the gate member from its open to its closed position it is now obliged to pass between the nicely rounded protuberance 9 projecting inwardly from the inner walls of the hook arms, which arms owing to their length extending upward from the base are adapted to yield or spring apart and permit the gate member to readily pass between them and be securely retained in its closed position. This gate member may be operated directly by the thumb and finger or it may be carried to its closed position by a downward pressure on the pin stem, which stem may be carried inward to the dotted position illustrated in Fig. :2. The closing movement of this gate member is limited by the back portion 15 bringing up against the upper face of the bridge portion 16. When the pin stem is thus carried inward, it engages the rearwardly and upwardly extending arm of the gate so as to swing the gate on its fulcrum and throw the other arm up to close the space under the hook arms 5. And when the gate is opened, its rear end moves in a direction to positively throw or force the pin stem laterally out through the space under the end of the members 5 as said space is left free by the outward movement of the front arm of the gate.

I claim:

A safety catch comprising a member having a base and two integral hook-shaped side arms, each arm being provided with pivot receiving eyes near its base and adjacent the mouth of the hook, and a gate pivotally mounted intermediate its ends in said eyes and having one arm projecting upward to close the space at the hook ends, and having another arm extending rearwardly and upwardly between said hook arms in position to engage and throw the pin stem laterally out from under the hook as the arm that closes the gate is being withdrawn.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE MOREHOUSE.

lVitnesses HOWARD E. BARLOW, E. I. OGDEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

